The Boys Club (6 page)

“Good afternoon, boys.”

“Good afternoon, Doctor Connors.”

The playful, singsong response from his team put a smile on
Logan’s face for the first time that day. Allie grinned and shook her head, as
she moved to the table at the front of the room with a machine in her hands.
The members of his team shifted in their chairs, each with notepads and pens
ready to take notes.

“Today we are going to learn about asthma,” she said, her
tone keeping up the classroom pretense. She set the machine down on the table
along with an inhaler. “Sara Langston has your run-of-the-mill asthma. During
an attack, her bronchial tubes become inflamed, partially closing off her
access to air. Should she have an attack, she’ll be short of breath, have some
audible wheezing, and may cough. She’ll feel tightness in her chest and may
panic a bit due to not getting enough oxygen. Everyone’s symptoms are
different, however, so her symptoms may present slightly different.”

Logan looked to his left, as Jack raised his hand. Allie
laughed and called on him.

“Will she know she’s having an attack?” Jack asked.

“Absolutely, although maybe not right away. Watch for things
like her taking shallow breaths while talking and excessive yawning or sighing.
You might also hear wheezing or her struggle to take breaths between words
before she states she’s having an attack.”

“What do we do if she has an attack?” Charlie asked.

“The first thing you’ll do is give her a rescue inhaler.”
Allie held up the inhaler. “This is your standard albuterol inhaler and should
help open up her airways. If it doesn’t, she’ll need an immediate treatment.
You’ll also want to inquire if she does regular treatments to maintain her
asthma in addition to using maintenance inhalers.”

Logan’s head spun with the whirlwind of information and he
scratched down notes as fast as he could.

Allie picked up the nebulizer. “Time to prepare a
treatment.”

For the next several minutes, Logan and the rest of his team
watched as Allie walked them through connecting tubes and adding medication to
the machine in great detail. She flipped a switch on the machine and it roared
to life. Within seconds, steam came from the mouthpiece.

“So the medication is in the steam?” Lester asked.

“Correct,” Allie said. “She breathes it in through this
mouthpiece. The average treatment takes 10 minutes, maybe a little more. After
the treatment, she might feel jittery and shaky throughout her body, as well as
have increased and rapid heart rate. These are all normal, and in fact when she
uses the rescue inhaler she may also have these symptoms, but to a lesser
degree. The treatment may make her speed up her speech pattern because of the
shakiness. Just make sure she has access to cold water and take it easy on
her.”

Charlie stuck his hand up and Allie called on him. “What if
the breathing treatment doesn’t work?”

“Take her to the nearest hospital. I know that’s going to be
tough given your job circumstances, but you cannot save her life just to risk
it again with a bad attack.”

Amidst the sudden rush of groans, Logan raised his voice.
“We’ll figure that out if we come to it. I’ll work on a contingency with
Schaffer. Les, time for your sleep shift. Charlie, Jack, stay here with Doctor
Connors and practice preparing a treatment until you have it down.”

“Where are you going?” Jack asked.

“I need to check in with the other team.” He flicked his
gaze in Allie’s direction. “Doctor Connors, can I see you in the hallway for a
moment?”

She gave a slight nod and led the way into the hall.

“Schaffer said you’re going shopping later,” Logan said once
they were outside.

“I’ll get both Sara and Mary enough clothes and things to
last two weeks.”

“The report said Sara runs every morning.”

“I’ll make sure to get her something to run in.”

“Did he give you a budget?”

“Open.”

Logan raised his eyebrows. “Open? Lucky you. I never get an
open budget.”

“They are used to the finer things in life.” Her eyes combed
over his face. “But you didn’t bring me out here to talk about my budget.”

“No, I didn’t. These inhalers, the nebulizer, and EpiPens
that you’re giving us for Sara. I need an extra set of everything and I don’t
want you to tell anyone about it.”

Her face scrunched up and eyes narrowed. “I have to clear
all expenses with Schaffer.”

“That’s fine, just no one else. Can you do that for me?”

“Of course. I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me why.”

Logan pressed his lips together and smiled.

“Can you at least tell me if everything is okay?”

He didn’t respond. He couldn’t without lying.

She touched his arm. “I’m worried about you. I know this has
to be hard. Saving the daughter of Hugh Langston.”

“She’s not responsible for what her father did. She deserves
to be saved just as much as the next person.”
As long as Sara’s not setting us up
, he thought.

“Be careful, Gabe. Please.”

Her use of his first name struck him with how deep her
concern was for him. He’d only ever heard her say it in bed. “I will be,” he
said. “I will be.”

Everything laid out across his bed,
Logan packed his go-bag, mentally checking off items on his list. He had packed
the same go-bag for every job since his first job with The Boys Club, when
Schaffer instilled in him the importance of having one. Though the safe house
had personal hygiene items and plenty of clothes for just about every size man,
Logan still believed in his go-bag. He never knew what might happen.

A pair of jeans, a T-shirt, two pairs of boxers, and two
pairs of socks went in first. A thin blanket and a roll of toilet paper
followed. Flashlight with extra batteries. A lighter and a box of matches. A
small first aid kit. Paracord and hunting knife. His trusty Smith & Wesson
M&P nine millimeter and extra clips. Two bottles of water and a handful of
granola bars. A small bag of cash. The list continued until his bag was almost
full.

In the front zipper, he added the final two items on his
list: the last picture of Karen he ever took and his wedding ring. He had
stopped wearing it almost a year ago, but still carried it on his jobs as a
good luck charm.

He ran his hand over his freshly shaven head several times
and thought about his list to make sure he didn’t miss anything. It had been a
long night of planning with only four hours of sleep starting at 2 a.m. Now
only an eight hour drive away from kidnapping Sara Langston, Logan’s nerves
were on high alert and his mind overanalyzed everything, right down to if he
missed something in his go-bag.

He had balked at the suggestion of shaving his head down to
a quarter inch of hair, but after they decided late last night that Carlos
would take his place as the driver of the car service vehicle when Logan got
into the other car with his team and Sara, he had little choice. Though
half-Mexican, Carlos looked most similar to Logan out of all the men in The
Boys Club. Unfortunately for Logan, Carlos also regularly shaved his head.
Logan agreed to go down to a fourth of an inch to get a better match, but not
completely bald. Anyone following the car service vehicle wouldn’t be able to
tell the difference under the hat they had to wear with the suit.

His bedroom door opened. He turned to greet Allie as she
closed the door.

Allie shook her head. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get
any more handsome, you have to go and shave your head.”

“That’s not what we were going for, but thanks. Carlos is
taking over for me in the car when we take Sara and Mary.”

“You need a lot more of a tan to look like Carlos, but not a
bad match. Where’s your suit?”

“I’ll change into it when we get there. Don’t want to get
all wrinkled on the drive.”

Allie grinned. “You mean you don’t want to be uncomfortable
in a suit longer than you have to.”

“That, too.” He gestured to the nebulizer and a small bag in
her hands. “Are those for me?”

“They are,” she said, handing them over. “Duplicates of
everything that I officially gave to Jack a few minutes ago. Schaffer is the
only one who knows about this. The teams already have the suitcases for Sara
and Mary as well.”

He packed the items in his bag and zipped it up. “I
appreciate it, Allie.”

“That bag also has some bandages for your hip and some
scissors if you can’t make it back for me to take out the stitches. I know I
won’t be able to get you to wear your sling, so I’m not even going to try.”

Logan heaved his go-bag over his right shoulder. “Can’t let
anyone know I have a weakness.”

“No, you sure can’t.”

Considering the meaning of her words, he followed her out of
the room to the elevators. The only two people he’d ever let in were Schaffer
and Karen. Despite his close friendship with Jack, he couldn’t open up in the
way he should, no matter how much Jack opened up to him. However hard she tried
to get in, Allie only saw his external wounds, though she knew of the internal
ones.

They rode up the elevator in an uncomfortable silence. With
the numerous things he wanted to tell her, he couldn’t say anything. Allie
wouldn’t understand the incredible pain that Karen’s death still caused him
after two years. That pain swelled in his chest now, just from thinking her
name. Allie knew nothing of his life as a juvenile, running away from foster parents
that ranged from mediocre to horrific. How he tried to keep food in his stomach
by starting with pickpocketing and working his way up to burglary. He could not
carry his burdens on his own, but he wouldn’t dare ask another to help him with
the load.

The elevator doors slid open and he gestured for Allie to
exit first. Stepping out of the elevator, barreling into a situation that held
little possibility for a positive outcome, Logan turned his thoughts to the job
ahead.

They walked into the chapel, where the rest of his team and
the other teams waited. Allie moved up to the front of the room and Logan took
a seat in the front row. Schaffer eyed them both, as if searching for signs
they had broken his decree.

“Now that we’re all here,” Schaffer said, “let’s make sure
everything’s in place. Logan, run down the job one last time for us.”

Logan rose from his seat and stood next to Schaffer. “The
teams assigned to Sara and Mary will both leave here and drive to our
previously designated meeting place where the car service vehicle will be
waiting. I’ll drive that to the wedding planner’s office, while the other teams
get into position. I’ll make sure Mary sits on the passenger side and Sara on
the driver’s side. Those who are assigned to creating the diversion will make
sure there is an accident involving her security detail.”

Jack’s hand shot up. “We got some good news in that regard.
Sara slipped her detail yesterday on her morning run and Mathers fired them both.
She now has two new security men who are unfamiliar with her.”

Logan tilted his head. Why would she pull a stunt like that?
The actions made no sense for a privileged girl. Maybe she wasn’t as tied to
her father or money as he originally thought. Maybe she was more… normal.

“That is surprisingly good news,” he said to the group. “It
could also be bad news. Apparently she’s resourceful and thinks fast on her
feet. We’ll have to watch her closely so she doesn’t slip away from us.

“Once I pass the accident, I’ll get to the exchange spot as
quickly as possible. I’ll pull up, Jack and Tuck will administer the sedatives,
and we’ll put them in their respective cars. Carlos will take over driving for
me and we’ll head out to the safe houses. The team here will maintain
communications with both teams every hour as well as monitor and disseminate
any new intel. Are there any questions?”

His eyes flitted about the room, from team member to team
member, but saw no uncertainty in their faces. “What about medical? Any
questions about that?”

Again, no one responded.

“Boys,” Schaffer said, stepping up next to Logan, “I cannot
stress how important this job is. We must execute it precisely and I trust you
will. Thank you.”

The teams filed into the center aisle and headed toward the
front door. Logan gave a backward glance at Schaffer and Allie, who now stood
next to him, and nodded at them as an affirmation that everything would go
smoothly. He wished he believed it.

Sara and Mary couldn’t stop laughing
as they left the wedding planner’s office. Everything still seemed like such a
mess, but Sara had to trust it would all work out in the end. The wedding had
put an incomparable amount of stress on her shoulders. There was nothing to do
but laugh it all away.

“I still can’t believe she booked an accordion player for
the wedding instead of a harpist,” Mary said.

“I don’t even want a harpist,” Sara said.

“But Stephen thinks it’s ‘proper’ for the occasion,” Mary
finished for her.

“Whatever that means.”

“You’re the one running around getting everything in order
and Stephen is just telling you what to do. Again. Is there anything in this
wedding that belongs to you? Something you picked out that you would like?”

As they walked down the two flights of stairs in front of
the building, Sara thought about every aspect of the wedding, from the harpist
to the cake to the location, even the date. “I picked out nothing. He shot down
my suggestions in the beginning, so I stopped making them.”

“What would you change if you could?”

The corners of Sara’s mouth turned up and she stared into
the dusk of the evening sky. “We’d elope,” she said. “No fancy wedding, no show
of money and prestige. Just me and him and a couple close friends to sign as
witnesses.”

“And of course I’d be one of those close friends.”

“Well, I was thinking about asking Heather, but now that you
mention it, you might be better suited for the job.”

Mary smacked her arm and they laughed again. As a black car
pulled up to the curb in front of them, all humor left Sara’s bones. Time for
the rehearsal at her father’s estate, followed by a boring rehearsal dinner
that she wished she could get out of attending.

“Do you know this driver?” Mary asked.

“Not that I’m aware of.” Her father had her normal driver
drop her and Mary at the wedding planner’s office before rushing off to the
airport to pick up guests.

The new driver exited the car and Sara didn’t have to look
at Mary to know her eyes were wide with lust. Mary’s hand poking Sara’s leg
told her that.

“Do you see that?” Mary asked in between clenched teeth.
“You need to hire him full time.”

Sara had to admit the new driver was quite attractive. Her
teeth raked over her bottom lip as he approached. He greeted them in a
professional manner and ushered Mary into the car. Shutting the door, he coaxed
Sara to the driver’s side and opened the door for her there. Though her other
drivers always let them get in through the same door, Sara didn’t complain. She
was too busy stifling her rampant thoughts.

When he shut the door, Sara turned to Mary, whose large eyes
and smile said she had the same thoughts running through her mind. Words failed
them both as the driver climbed into the driver’s seat. Looking at Sara in the
rearview mirror, he confirmed her father’s address as their destination. Sara
then rolled up the window between them and the driver.

“What are you doing?” Mary asked. “I can’t see him anymore.”

“We look like giddy schoolgirls that just found their first
crush.”

“He’s my first, second, and third crush.”

Sara laughed. “He is a bit on the side of good-looking.”

“Just roll down the damn window so I can look at the eye
candy while we have him captive.”

Sara swatted Mary’s arm. “You’re so bad. Just don’t be
obvious, okay?”

“I can’t guarantee anything.”

Sara rolled down the window between them and the driver. She
kept her eyes focused on her hands in her lap. Out of the corner of her eye,
Mary molested the driver with her gaze.

“Ma’am?” the driver asked, making eye contact with Sara in
the rearview mirror.

Sara realized he thought she rolled down the window because
she needed something. “We’re fine,” she said. “Just wanted some fresh air.”

Mary giggled at her words. “I need a little more of that
fresh air, please.”

Sara pressed her lips together to stop even more laughter.
After a few minutes passed, she lifted her eyes to the rearview mirror to get
another look at him. Focused on the traffic in front of him, the driver didn’t
notice her scrutiny. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, but had small lines
jutting out from his ice blue eyes, which mesmerized her with the stories they
told. Hard and weary with lots of pain, and something else she couldn’t quite
grasp. Regret, maybe. She couldn’t explain why they drew her in, but it was the
first time she had looked into someone’s eyes and caught a glimpse of their
soul.

His gaze rose to the mirror and he caught her staring. She
tore her eyes away and crimson filled her cheeks. She focused instead on the
view outside the tinted window and rested the side of her head against the glass.

A loud crash came from behind the car, just after they flew
through an intersection. Sara jumped and looked out the slanted, rear window.

“What was that?” Mary asked, also turned around.

“Looks like an accident,” the driver replied.

Though they were moving farther away, Sara recognized one of
the cars in the accident. “Oh, no! That’s my security detail.” She whipped
around in the seat. “Sir, I’m so sorry, but can we go back? I need to make sure
they are okay.”

The driver nodded. “I’ll turn around up here.”

“Thank you so much,” Sara said. “I just can’t leave them
there.”

She turned back to look at the accident, but enough distance
had passed that she couldn’t see it. She bounced up and down in her seat,
anxiety flowing through her veins. The driver turned right into an alley and
slowed the speed of the car.

“I hope they’re okay,” Mary said.

“I hope so, too. It’s my fault those two guys were there.”

“How do you figure?”

“I got the other two fired, remember?”

Mary touched her arm. “If it hadn’t been these two guys, it
would have been the other two. It’s not your fault.”

“How much farther?” Sara asked the driver.

“We’re here,” he replied. The car stopped.

Every instinct in Sara’s body sounded an alarm. “What are
you doing?” she asked, looking at the driver in the rearview mirror. “Why did
we stop?”

The blue eyes she had admired for most of the drive gave
away nothing. The silent stare of the driver raised her heart rate and level of
fear. Sara jumped as her door opened up at the same time as Mary’s. A man
reached in and grabbed her. She screamed, competing with Mary for volume.

She turned her head back to the driver. “Help us!”

The man slapped a hand down over her mouth and told her to
be quiet. The driver continued watching her without moving to save them.

Something pierced her neck and her vision dimmed, not once
taking her eyes off the driver’s, pleading with him for help that never came.